Covered article



Aug. 14, 1951 c. E. WEBB COVERED ARTICLE Filed Feb. 7, 1946 R E E S k M Ln 6 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVERED ARTICLE Application February '7, 1946, Serial No. 646,077

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a novel covered article and to novel protective coverings for articles, especially for the rounded edges of articles. The invention is particularly useful in connection with articles of furniture such as side rails of childrens cribs, the borders of table tops, etc.

It is an object to provide a new and improved covered article wherein the covering is retained evenly in place in a novel, simple and effective manner.

It is another object to provide a covered article which is very cheap to produce and easy to assemble.

A still further object is to provide a novel covering which is adapted for easy application along rounded edges.

Other and allied objects and features of my invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claim.

In the description of my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure l is a cross sectional view of a side rail of a childs crib, having the top rounded edge thereof covered in accordance with my invention; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the covering for this rail.

In childrens cribs it is desirable from a sanitation and safety standpoint to cover the top rails with a smooth protective covering which is durable and easily washable so that it can be kept clean; moreover, it is important that the covering does not chip or present any sharp edges on which the baby may injure himself. Also, this protective covering should be arranged so that it gives the crib a pleasing appearance and so that it can be produced cheaply and be easily applied. These objectives are fulfilled by the present invention, as will be apparent by reference to the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

In Figure 2 the reference numeral [0 represents a top wooden side rail of a childs crib. This rail has the top edge or surface iila thereof rounded as is customary. In the opposite side walls of the rail there are respective slots H which run continuously along the length of the rail. Applied to the rounded top edge and to the side wall surfaces of the rail down to lines slightly below the slots II is a thin semifiexible covering l2, preferably of thermoplastic material, a length of which is shown in Figure 1. This covering is shaped to conform to the top and side surfaces of the rail, and is provided with two integral inwardlyprojecting webs l3 near the bottom edges thereof. These webs extend continuously along the length of the covering. Each of these webs has two barbs [3a running lengthwise of the Web and positioned near the inner ends at the opposite sides thereof. The webs are arranged to engage the slots II and retain the covering in place on the rail as is herein next explained.

To apply the covering the same is spread apart and pressed downwardly onto the rail Iii until the top part of the covering abuts against the top edge of-the rail. When the covering is so spread apart the webs i3 incline downwardly slightly and the inner end portions thereof engage the slots ii. The width of each web, from barb to barb, is made preferably just slightly greater than the width of the respective slots so that the webs have to be forced into the slots. As the webs are forced thereintowhich is done for example by a suitable clamp not herein necessary to showthe wood is compressed temporarily at the sides of the slots by the barbs and bounds back behind the barbs to grip the webs and hold the covering tightly against the surface of the rail.

It will be understood that the covering with the webs as described above is cheaply fabricated of plastic or other moldable material by an extruding process. Also, it will be understood that the covering is applied very cheaply in the manner above described and that it is held permanently in place without need for any adhesive.

The particular embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is intended to be illustrative and not limitative of my invention as the same is subject to changes and modifications without departure from the scope of my invention, which I endeavor to express according to the following claim.

I claim:

A side rail for a childs crib comprising a bar of wood having a rounded top surface and having slots in the opposite side walls thereof running lengthwise of the bar, and a sanitary protective covering of relatively-hard thermoplastic material overlying the top surface and portions of the side walls of said bar, said covering having inwardly-extending webs with barbed ends engaging said slots, said barbed ends being slightly wider than said slots to cause the barbed ends to indent the side walls of the slots whereby to provide an interlocking connection of said covering to said bar.

CHARLES E. WEBB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 847,548 Brunsman Mar. 19, 1907 871,222 Higgin Nov. 19, 1907 2,230,688 Irwin Feb. 4, 1941 2,294,555 Hendrie Sept. 1, 1942 2,355,525 Giesler Aug. 8, 1944 

